Welcome to University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

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Welcome trail

Welcome

Tour stop audio transcript

Thanks for stopping by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, regarded worldwide as a top research university! My name is Nora, and I will be your tour guide today! Before we get started, let me explain the many ways you can explore our traditional Big Ten campus: -You can click on the forward facing arrow to start walking around. -You can jump to the next stop by clicking on the "Next" button. -Now, if you already know where you want to go, you can select any location by using the list OR by clicking directly on the map. -Lastly, remember that you can explore any particular location in more detail by clicking the supplemental icons. We're currently standing on the Northrop Mall, in the heart of our historic campus. Students from across all 150 undergraduate majors find themselves on the Mall to attend classes, study on spacious green lawns, throw around a frisbee, or meet up with friends.

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Northrop Auditorium

Tour stop audio transcript

We are now right outside Northrop, which was built in 1928 and is recently remodeled. It now houses support offices, our University Honors Program, lots of study space for students, a coffee shop, and, yes, a few awesome auditoriums. There are always great performances happening on campus, and Northrop hosts its fair share of concerts, lectures, comedians, and dance performances. The University Honors Program, which recently moved into Northrop, provides high-achieving students with an enriched, learning environment with three key benefits: engaging courses, individualized advising, and close-knit community. In addition, Honors students can graduate with Latin honors. Summa cum laude--Latin for "with highest honor"--is the highest academic distinction awarded by the University. Honors students capitalize on the resources of all colleges at the University of Minnesota, including a dedicated adviser that assists with national scholarship competitions like Rhodes or Fulbright. The Northrop remodeling project preserved the historic architecture of this iconic landmark but revitalized the building with new technology. Many of the university's 450,000 alumni have led exciting careers as global leaders, ingenious inventors, and innovative artists after walking across Northrop's stage to accept their University of Minnesota diploma.

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Tate Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Tate Hall was built in 1926 and has just undergone a massive renovation that has transformed the physics laboratory into a state-of-the art space for more than 2,000 University of Minnesota students each day. Tate Hall now includes 33 teaching labs for physics, astronomy, and earth science classes, as well as 26 more research labs. Along with new laboratory spaces, Tate Hall includes a four-story atrium in the center of the building with a skylight, as well as the new Van Vleck Auditorium, which will be a main location for both classes and events. One popular area in the building that was preserved is the historic rooftop observatory, which has been restored and improved, providing both students and the general public a place to gaze at the stars.

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Walter Library

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to Walter Library, built in 1923 which is one of 12 libraries on campus and has also been recently restored to its original feel. University Libraries offers a variety of workshops, tutorials, and other resources, including tutors for everything from physics and chemistry to writing and research. Whether you need to ace that Calculus test or find patent records, you can get help at the Libraries to be successful! With 8.2 million volumes and counting, the University Libraries system is among the 20 largest libraries in the nation, and was recently awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Walter Library is also home to one of the university's many computer labs, which students often utilize when they need special software for courses.

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Appleby Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Appleby Hall, which was built in 1942, houses many of the offices and centers that celebrate and support diverse communities on campus, including the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence, the Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life, the Women's Center, the Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the Circle of Indigenous Nations. These programs provide students with a chance to explore all sorts of different opportunities at the University of Minnesota, including some of the 900+ student groups on campus, including 200+ multicultural student groups.

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Bruininks Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Bruininks Hall was built in 2010, debuting the U of M's revolutionary interactive classrooms on the Minneapolis campus. These classrooms provide for technology-driven collaboration and interaction between students and faculty. The classrooms have also served as a model for other universities across the nation who are pursuing the same cutting-edge style of education. OneStop, the U of M's student services center, is located here. Students can seek help regarding financial aid, course registration, and more in a convenient, single location. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program is also housed in Bruininks Hall. In this program you will be paired with a professor who can guide you on the path to discover new knowledge and share it with the world. Who knows? Maybe you will discover the next source of renewable energy, or contribute ideas for preventing childhood obesity! This building represents the U of M's commitment to sustainability as well. It earned LEED Gold certification and reduces carbon emissions by 555 tons annually.

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Mississippi River

Tour stop audio transcript

The Mississippi river provides a beautiful setting for our traditional, Big Ten campus. As students bike or walk across the Mississippi, they have a spectacular view of the Minneapolis skyline. U of M students benefit from the unique combination of a Big Ten research university and a major city. The Mississippi River separates the East Bank and West Bank of the University of Minnesota campus, so students travel across the river on a daily basis. In order to cross the river, there are indoor and outdoor walking and biking baths, as well as our Campus Connector bus service, which connects these campuses with our St. Paul campus, as well as light rail.

Coffman Memorial Union trail

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Coffman Memorial Union

Tour stop audio transcript

Coffman Memorial Union is our student union and the hub of campus life. Here you will find a large variety of services, like the University of Minnesota Bookstore, food court, Goldy's Game Room and bowling alley, a technology help center, and a theater! There's always something going on in Coffman, whether it's a TED Talk in the theatre, a career fair in the Great Hall, or a concert in the Whole Music Club. On the second floor of Coffman, there are offices for different student cultural centers, including the American Indian Student Cultural Center, the Black Student Union, La Raza Student Cultural Center, and the Asian-American Student Union.

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West Bank trail

Hanson Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

The Carlson School of Management is a top-ranked business school based in Hanson Hall and the Carlson School of Management Building. Business students at the U of M benefit from strong connections to Twin Cities businesses. Many multinational companies host on-campus interviews in our leading-edge business career center. Students from business majors and across the University participate in international experiences. At the University of Minnesota, you have access to one of the nation's largest study abroad programs, with the option to travel abroad through more than 300 programs in more than 80 countries. You can take classes, conduct research, intern, or volunteer while preparing for life in a global society.

Regis Center trail

Regis Center for Art

Tour stop audio transcript

The West Bank Arts Quarter houses all of our fine arts programs - music, theater, dance, and art. The Regis Center is a staple of the Arts Quarter, and houses classrooms, studios, kilns, shops, and galleries. Having these programs in a single district makes the University of Minnesota truly unique - it encourages collaboration between professors and departments, while also allowing our students to network and explore their interests easily. Our arts programs are not only connected to each other, but also to the Twin Cities arts community. We frequently have students participate in art shows, performances, and concerts at renowned venues like the Guthrie Theater and Orchestra Hall.

Minneapolis/ St. Paul trail

Minneapolis / St. Paul

Tour stop audio transcript

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities is located within minutes of two major cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Because of this, there are many opportunities that lie just minutes from campus. Sports fan? We have several professional sports teams in the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Wild, Timberwolves, Lynx, and United. Love the arts? There are more theater seats here per capita than any other city outside of New York City, and many concert venues. Enjoy the outdoors? Minneapolis has a park within six blocks of anywhere in the city. There literally is something for everyone! The state of Minnesota also has the most Fortune 500 companies per capita with 18, including 17 in the Twin Cities, including UnitedHealth, 3M, and Target. This means that our students have access to a unique and bustling economy fueled by diverse industries such as healthcare, technology, media, retail, and agriculture.

St Paul Campus trail

St. Paul Mall

Tour stop audio transcript

We have now reached the St. Paul Campus, which is the third piece of the Twin Cities campus, along with the East Bank and West Bank in Minneapolis. The academic programs housed on this campus are focused on making our planet a productive, healthy, and sustainable environment--through design, agriculture, biology, ecology, nutrition, veterinary medicine, and more. Here in St. Paul you can find traditional classrooms, a recreation center, and a student union-- not too far from a student-run organic farm, a state-of-the-art equine center, and agricultural facilities that give this campus a very unique feel compared to the Minneapolis campus.

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Coffey Hall/CFANS

Tour stop audio transcript

We're now standing in front of Coffey Hall, which is where the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, or CFANS, is located. CFANS consists of 12 academic departments and 10 research and outreach centers across the state of Minnesota, and also oversees the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Bell Museum of Natural History, and other interdisciplinary centers across the university and beyond. This college has a wide variety of study, with 13 undergraduate and 13 graduate majors, as well as more than 25 minors. While studying in CFANS, there are many opportunities to enhance your learning due to the many food and agricultural companies that are headquartered in the twin cities, including Cargill, General Mills, Land O' Lakes, and SuperValu. With all of these learning opportunities, it's no wonder CFANS is considered to be one of the top colleges of its kind.

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McNeal Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

McNeal Hall houses several design programs including interior design and graphic design. Its facilities include design labs and studios, specialized classrooms, and even a museum! These classrooms give students access to top-notch equipment and technology that gives them hands-on experience in their field from day one of classes. For example, our apparel design students design and sew a complete clothing line for a fashion show. Many students participate in internships during their undergraduate years. Our Twin Cities location offers these students amazing opportunities to get real, hands-on experience at some of the top firms and companies in the nation, all within their backyards.

Health Careers Center trail

Health Careers

Tour stop audio transcript

The U of M is one of the most comprehensive universities in the country, offering a wide range of health professional programs, including our medical school, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and veterinary medicine. Undergraduate students at the U of M have access to the Pre-Health Student Resource Center, a specialized center unique to our campus that helps students explore health career options, and prepare for admission into health professional programs. The Pre-Health Student Resource Center also connects students with volunteer and internship opportunities at our on-campus hospitals and in other healthcare settings in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, which students can access easily via light rail transit.

Education Sciences trail

Education Sciences Building

Tour stop audio transcript

The Education Sciences Building, built in 1923, serves students in several programs, including education, youth studies, sport management, and more. The University of Minnesota is the birthplace of many groundbreaking initiatives that have impacted the fields of psychology and education. For example, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Test and Minnesota Twin Family Study were created here. The University of Minnesota is also at the forefront of teacher education, and has been developing some of the country's most innovative programs for more than a century. Graduates of our College of Education and Human Development are transforming lives — one child, one family, one school, and one community at a time.

TCF Bank Stadium trail

TCF Bank Stadium

Tour stop audio transcript

TCF Bank Stadium is a LEED certified stadium and home of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, seating more than 50,000 fans. The U of M competes in 23 Division One sports as a proud member of the Big Ten conference. The Gophers are involved in several traditional rivalries in the big Big Ten, and play in several games for traveling trophies, including Paul Bunyan's Axe with the University of Wisconsin, the Floyd of Rosedale trophy with the University of Iowa, and the "The Little Brown Jug," the oldest trophy game in college football, with the University of Michigan. Our athletic events are where our school spirit really comes out, and considering we invented cheerleading at the U of M, we have a lot of it! In fact, during during Welcome Week in the fall, first year students are all brought together to learn cheers and songs at Pride and Spirit Night. Ski-U-Mah!*

Recreation and Wellness Center trail

Recreation and Wellness Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Participating in programs like intramural sports or the Center for Outdoor Adventure is a great way to connect with classmates and stay healthy. With a wide range of hours and a huge variety of fitness programs, wellness workshops, and 18 different intramural leagues, you will find what you're looking for here, no matter what your interests are. The University Recreation and Wellness Center addition was completed in Fall 2013, adding 175,000 square feet to the existing fitness center.

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Scholars Walk

Tour stop audio transcript

One of the best ways to appreciate the accomplishments of the University of Minnesota is to take a stroll down the Scholars Walk. The Scholars Walk, which was completed in 2006 and stretches across campus, celebrates University of Minnesota alumni, as well as the achievements that have been accomplished on campus. Over the course of the walk, you will find all sorts of monuments and awards, from Pulitzer Prize Winners to Rhodes Scholars to Nobel Prize award winners. In the middle of the Scholars Walk you will find the Wall of Discovery, which is more than 250 feet long and provides an artistic tribute that includes original sketches, notes, drawings. From Bob Dylan's songwriting to Norman Borlaug's notes on the Green Revolution, the Wall of Discovery and Scholars Walk provide a lasting tribute to distinguished U of M alumni. And you never know...maybe you'll be featured here someday!

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East Bank - Lind Hall trail

Lind Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Lind Hall was built in 1912 and showcases the University of Minnesota's incredible blend of advanced technology and historic architecture. Lind is home to student groups like Society of Women Engineers and Engineers Without Borders, popular organizations for students from across our 10 engineering specialties. A new study space, the Taylor Center, houses one of the most powerful computer labs on campus. Lind is also home to the Science and Engineering Career Center, which hosts two career fairs each year, drawing more than 130 employers ranging from Medtronic to Boston Scientific and Cargill. Career counselors help students prepare resumes and conduct mock interviews, and several companies conduct interviews on site.

University Housing trail

University Housing

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to the 17th Avenue Residence Hall, a 600-bed residence hall featuring sustainable design, a made-to-order fresh food cafeteria, and possibly the best skyline views on campus. This is just one of nine University residence halls on campus, not to mention several other on-campus apartments and Living Learning Communities. Nearly 90 percent of freshmen live on campus. Students living on campus have a chance to meet new people and develop long-lasting friendships while living close to classes, the student union, libraries, and recreation center. In our residence halls, you can get involved through social, cultural, and educational activities such as hall council or Homecoming. You can also participate in a Living and Learning Community, which is a group of students with similar academic or cultural interests, living in tight-knit communities. Check out some of our other housing options in our photos section!

East Bank - Folwell Hall trail

Folwell Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Built in 1907, Folwell Hall is one of the oldest buildings on campus. A recently completed renovation has dramatically improved accessibility, technology, and student-oriented spaces. Strolling through Folwell Hall, you can hear a sampling of more than 25 different language programs offered on campus. Because it is located on the corner of campus, Folwell Hall is often the first building visitors see, with its 26 chimneys and ornate gargoyles. It serves as a landmark for students leaving the college neighborhood we call Dinkytown, a classic student hub full of coffee shops and restaurants.

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Freshman Admissions Welcome Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Jones Hall, built in 1900, is home to our Freshman Admissions Welcome Center. We would like to take a moment to formally invite you to campus to meet us in person to experience our great academic programs and thriving community firsthand. Our exciting metropolitan location makes it easy to incorporate a museum stop, concert, play, or athletic event into your visit to the Twin Cities. We also have several easy transportation options connecting campus to the Twin Cities international airport. Thank you so much for joining us on this virtual tour!

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